Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

AMES BROTHERS, The

U.S. vocal quartet, family name Urick, among nine surviving children of immigrants from Ukraine, all from Malden MA: Ed (b 9 July 1927), Gene (b 13 February 1925), Joe (b 3 May 1921; d 22 December 2007, Eltville am Rhein, near Mainz, Germany), Vic (b 20 May 1926; d 23 January 1978). They began singing as the Urick Brothers, won Boston-area amateur contests, changed their name and turned pro. Twenty-three top 40 hits '49-60 began with 'You, You, You Are The One' '49 followed by double-sided no. 1 'Rag Mop'/'Sentimental Me' '50. Top ten hits continued with 'Undecided' '51 (with Les Brown), then switched from Coral to RCA for 'You You You' '53, 'The Man With The Banjo' and 'The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane' '54 (the latter was only UK chart entry), 'Tammy' and 'Melodie d'Amour' '57. They had their own TV show '55, mixing comedy with their distinctive close-harmony baritones (unlike the Four Lads, the Four Aces etc they never sounded like they were yelling).

They split up in the late 1950s; Ed pursued a solo career, made the top ten with 'My Cup Runneth Over' from Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt musical I Do, I Do; top 20 with 'Who Will Answer', both '67. Ed's LP Hits Of Broadway And Hollywood included a popular version of 'Try To Remember' from long-running off-Broadway Jones/Schmidt show The Fantasticks. Joe had a three-octave range, and had been offered a spot with the Metropolitan Opera's touring company, but Mom pursuaded him to stay with the brothers; he moved to Germany in 1965 to pursue an operatic career, but got involved in production and managing performers; he conceived and developed musical programs for a German public TV channel, retiring in the early 1990s.